Our Programmes
“City Year has given me the chance to be the mentor I never had.”
Leesa Daniel, corps member 2010/11
Whole School, Whole Child
Young people who join City Year become agents of change who are deployed as tutors, mentors and above all role models in schools and communities.
Each team of corps members work towards several goals – agreed in partnership with the school Head – in its year of service. Typically the sort of goals we agree include:
- Improving the academic performance made by children in the school;
- Developing each school child’s manners, behaviour and self confidence;
- Strengthening children’s sense of civic duty – their willingness to take on responsibility for the improvement of themselves and the community.
Whole School – We don’t just change individual children we spend time with, but through our presence and energy we affect the climate of the whole school, and all its pupils, staff and parents.
Whole Child – We don’t just support children academically; we also help them to grow as positive people and responsible citizens.
We start early by welcoming children at the school gates and running breakfast clubs. We encourage punctuality and attendance through our morning PT exercises, which not only help children become ‘ready to learn’ but are a fun and motivating way to start school.
Throughout the day we support the teaching staff by helping children with their learning. Corps members are in the classroom or they are working separately with an assigned focus list of children that might need extra intensive support with reading or Maths.
Independent evaluation shows that City Year is having a significant impact on academic learning and the confidence of pupils.
‘Corps members’ also aim to help pupils to feel safer at school by providing pupils with additional emotional support.
Corps members will generally eat lunch with children and provide playground supervision, acting as highly visible, positive role models, during break times.
Teachers have reported a positive change in pupil behavior because City Year consistently enforces school’s behavior management policies and we pay particular attention to creating ‘no bullying cultures.’
After normal school hours, corps members create and lead after school activities, designed to reinforce the school’s curriculum and learning themes.
Community Action Days
City Year dedicates a team of corps members to creating projects of physical transformation in schools and the community.
Whether brightening up classrooms and playgrounds with fresh paint and colourful murals or clearing and weeding parks, our projects bring real benefits to the users of each space we work in and allow us to engage volunteers from all walks of life.
While the ARAMARK civic engagement team takes the lead in setting up and planning these events, all corps members will be involved in physical service at various points during the year.
Click here for stories from our community action days.
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